PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:           23 November 1999                   
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999019110

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.  

	Mr. Loren G. Harrell		Director	
	Mrs. Nancy Amos		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Samuel A. Crumpler		Chairperson	
	Mr. George D. Paxson		Member	
	Mr. Orville W. Troesch, Jr.		Member	

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military 
                records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	            advisory opinion, if any)

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests award of a second Air Medal.

3.  The applicant states that he believes he was awarded a second Air Medal.

4.  The applicant's military records show that he was inducted into the Army on   3 April 1969.  He completed basic combat training and advanced individual training and was awarded military occupational specialty 11C (Infantry Indirect Fire Crewman).

5.  The applicant arrived in Vietnam on 13 September 1969 and was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airmobile), 327th Infantry where he performed duties as an ammunition bearer.  He was transferred to Company E, 1st Battalion (Airmobile) 327th Infantry on 5 October 1969 where he performed duties as a ground surveillance radar crewman.  He departed Vietnam on 30 August 1970.

6.  The applicant separated on 29 January 1971 after completing 1 year, 9 months and 27 days of creditable active service and had no lost time.  His conduct and efficiency ratings throughout his term of service had been rated “excellent.”  His DD Form 214 shows he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with 2 bronze service stars, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 device, and one award of the Air Medal.  (General Orders 4591 dated 24 April 1970, Headquarters 101st Airborne Division and the accompanying award citation show the applicant was awarded the Air Medal for the period 9 January – 22 February 1970 for actively participating in 25 aerial missions.)  

7.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 provides for the award of the Air Medal to any person who will have distinguished himself while participating in aerial flight.  It is primarily intended to recognize those personnel who are on current crewmember or noncrewmember flying status which requires them to participate in aerial flight on a regular and frequent basis in the performance of their primary duties.  However, it may also be awarded to personnel whose combat duties require them to fly in the attack elements of units involved in airland assaults against an armed enemy.  Involvement in such activities serves only to establish eligibility for award of the Air medal; the degree of heroism, meritorious achievement or exemplary service determines who should receive the award.  

8.  At the time, U.S. Army Vietnam Regulation 672-1 provided that individuals who traveled by aircraft from point to point for the purpose of participating in combat assaults were eligible for the award of the Air Medal for achievement after completion of 25 assault missions.  For personnel transported by aircraft, a combat assault mission was defined as a mission where friendly troops conducted the initial landings into a hostile area for the purpose of conducting combat or combat support operations.  A passenger may have received credit for one mission for each assault landing completed.

9.  Combat missions were divided into three categories.  A category I mission was defined as a mission performed in an assault role in which a hostile force was engaged and was characterized by delivery of ordnance against the hostile force, or delivery of friendly troops or supplies into the immediate combat operations area.  A category II mission was characterized by support rendered a friendly force immediately before, during or immediately following a combat operation.  A category III mission was characterized by support of friendly forces not connected with an immediate combat operation but which must have been accomplished at altitudes which made the aircraft at times vulnerable to small arms fire, or under hazardous weather or terrain conditions.

10.  To be recommended for award of the Air Medal, an individual must have completed a minimum of 25 category I missions, 50 category II missions or     100 category III missions.  Since various types of missions would have been completed in accumulating flight time toward award of an Air Medal for sustained operations, different computations would have had to be made to combine category I, II and III flight time and adjust it to a common denominator.  Normally, missions flown by personnel assigned to nonaviation units would have been recorded on USARV Form 131 by the individual and signed by the certifying officer.

11.  The applicant’s USARV Form 131 is not available.

12.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 also provides that the Army Good Conduct Medal is awarded for each 3 years of continuous enlisted active Federal military service completed on or after 27 August 1940 and, for the first award only, upon termination of service on or after 27 June 1950 of less than 3 years but more than 1 year.  At the time, a soldier’s conduct and efficiency ratings must have been rated as “excellent” for the entire period of qualifying service 

13.  Department of the Army Pamphlet 672-3 shows that the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry was awarded the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal, First Class for the period 18 May 1968 – 2 May 1970.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The evidence of record shows the applicant was eligible for award of the Army Good Conduct Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal, First Class.

2.  There is no evidence of record to show the applicant was awarded a second Air Medal.  Without his USARV Form 131, the Board cannot determine if he met eligibility criteria for award of additional Air Medals.

3.  In view of the foregoing, it would be in the interest of justice to correct the applicant’s records as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.  That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected by showing the applicant was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal (first award) for the period 3 April 1969 – 19 January 1971 and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal, First Class.

2.  That so much of the application as is in excess of the foregoing be denied.

BOARD VOTE:  

__sac___  __gdp___  __owt___  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

			Samuel A. Crumpler
		______________________
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999019110	
SUFFIX		
RECON		
DATE BOARDED	19991123	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE		
DATE OF DISCHARGE		
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY		
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	(GRANT)	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.	107.0018	
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.